Gas-engine



Patented Apr. n, 1899. E. w. GRAEF.

GAS ENGINE.

2 Sheets-Sheet I.

(Appmarion med Nov. 29, 1897.) NU Model.)

No. 622,891. l Patented Apr. n, |899.

E. w. GRAEF. r

GAS ENGINE.

(Application med' Nov. 29, 1897.) No Model.)

' lNiTED STATES PATENT GFFICE.

ERNEST W. GRAEF, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

GAS-ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 622,891, dated April 11, 1899.

Application inea November 29, 189i. serial No. 660.022.` No model.) r

is aspecifcation.

= gasgenerating apparatus.

reaching from the reservoir to the gas-gener- 8 is a pump-plunger recip- My invention relates to a governor for gasl engines, and has for its object to supply an accurate, prompt, and efficient governor which will reduce or increase the speed of the engine with all fluctuation of load.

Similar figures of reference indicate similar l parts of the apparatus.

Figure 1 is a vertical section, showing some 1 parts in full elevation, of the gasolene-supply apparatus, the gas-generating apparatus, the l valves and the combustion-chamber, and the Fig. 2

device for normally igniting the gas. is a vertical section of the cylinder and case surrounding the crank and connecting-rod,` also the com bustion-chamber and igniting device, with the governor and lthe electrical ig` niter. Fig. 3 is a side' elevation showing the gears by which the motion of the piston is reduced to operate the governor and igniter.v Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail of the governor.

Referring to Fig. 1, 1 is the gasolene or oi1`y supply pipe connected with any suitable source of supply. 2 is an oil-reservoir. 3 is a check-valve consisting of a ball held by a spoon-shaped spring opposite the mouth of` 4 is a float pivoted on the iny teriofr` of the oil-reservoir 2 and floating in thel the oil-inlet.

oil therein. The heel of the float 4 bears upon the spoon-shaped spring which supports the valve 3 and presses it up and the ball with it, spo-as to close the oil-inlet when the reservoir is filled to a desired level. 5` and 6 are outlets from the reservoir to the 7 is a channel;

ating apparatus. rocating in the channel 7. Said plunger is mounted in a guide 9 and has a knob upon its upper end and is maintained ina position of highest elevation by a spring 11. This plunger is adapted when depressed to force the oil up into the gas-generating chamber. 12 is a pipe of any desired length leading from the reservoir and the extremity of the channel 7 to the gas-generating chamber. 14

is' the gas-inlet valve.

a seat and maintained closed by a spring.

is the gas-generating chamber, and 13 is a check-valve lying in the channel of the pipe 12, so as to stop the abnormal flow of. oil upward and check any return of the oil Which The pipe 12 projects has passed the valve. into the gas-generating chamber 14 in the form of anozzle. 15 is a pin secured into the top of the gas-generating chamber 14 and having a point located immediately opposite the mouth of the nozzle upon the end of the pipe 12. The aperture of said nozzle maybe opened or closed by raising or vlowering the pin 15. 16 is an air-valve sustained in suitable bearings in the top of the gas-generating chamber 14 and maintained closed by a spring 17. It opens inward for the admission of air When the pressure in the gas generating chamber is reduced below the atmospheric pressure. 18 is a gas-pipe leading from the gas-generating chamber 14 to the Valve 20 through achannel in the chest 19, and thence to the explosion-chamber 21. 19 is a chest or casing made integral With the cylinder, a part of Which is attached to the side of the cylinder and part to the cylinder-head. The valve 2O It is an ordinary circular Valve mounted upon a stem seated upon 2l is the combustion-chamber, in which the gas is exploded and Which communicates directly with the cylinder 30. This connection is better shown in Fig. 2. Which is a valve similar to 20, a circular valve mounted upon a stem and resting upon a seat. 23 is a thimble secured into the side of the combustion-chamber, the interior of which opens into the combustion-chamber and the exterior ot which projects' into the exhaustpipe of theengine. 24 is the exhaust-chamber, through which the gas passes in escaping from the cylinder and combustion-chamber and surrounds the thimble 23. 25 is the exhaust-pi pe. 2G is a Water-channel Which surrounds the combustion-chamber and cylinder and serves to reduce the temperature of the apparatus. 28 is a collar having a flange 28, which is set fast upon the valve-stem 27. 29 is a spiral spring surrounding the exhaust-Valve stem- 27 and bearing upon the under side of the valve-chest 19 and the ange 28n of the collar 28 to maintain the exhaust-valve closed.

22 is the exhaust-valve,

27 is the exhaust -valve stem..

Referring to Fig. 2, 30 is the cylinder. 31 is a piston. 32 'is the connecting-rod. 33 is the crank. 34 is the crank-shaft. 35 is a pinion keyed upon thecrank-shaft. 36 is a 'gear keyed upon a counter-shaft 38. 37 is a located eccentrically in its face a crank-pinv 43, upon which is journaled the end of a lod 44, which extends upward and operates the igniter. 45 is a lug .cast on the side of the cylinder and perforated in its end and through which perforation passes the exhaust-valve stem 27. This lug 45, together with the perforation in the valve-chest 19, through which the valve-stein passes, forms guides for said stem. 46 is a guideway or feather cast on the side of the cylinder 30. 47is a sleeve mounted and sliding freely upon the exhaust-valve stem 27. 48 is a pin projecting from one side of said sleeve and by which the eccentric-rod is connected thereto toimpart reciprocating motion to the sleeve. 49 isa lug projecting from the opposite side of said sleeve 47 and engaging the guide or feather 46. 50 is a latch pivoted to the upper corner of the sleeve 47 at the point 5l and provided at its lower end with a counterbalance-weight 52. The extremity of the latch on the side next the valve-stem 27 is notched. The notch has an obtuse angle. One surface is parallel to the latch and the other is inclined downward, so as to form a beveled surface 50". The latch is shown in enlarged view in Fig. 6, and a view at right angles to Fig. V6 is shown in Fig. 1. The cou'nterbalance-weight 52 is divided and swings on both sides ofsleeve 47. 5.3 is a lug projecting fromone side of the collar 28 and bifurcating at its extremity and embracing the guide or feather 46 to guide the reciprocating motion of the collar 28. The extremity of the latch 50 when in its normal position will escape the lower edge of the collar 28, but the beveled surface 50n4 will strike upon the lower edge of the collar, and the force with which the said bevel 50a will strike the collar is dependent upon the speed with whichthe trigger is traveling, and the distance which the trigger will be thrown out of its vertical position will depend upon the speedof its motion andthe weight of the counterbalanceweight 52. Vhen the device is running at the desired speed, the force of impact of the bevel 50? upon the collar 28 will cause the latch 50 to be thrown only so far as to engage the under side of the flange 28fL and' lift the valve. If, however, the speed increases ab-v normally, the force of impact will increase and thelatch will be thrown beyond the flange 2&and the valve will not be opened. 44 is the igniter-rod, 4reciprocating by the crankpin 43. v

The operation of the device is as follows: Referring 'to Fig. 1,' when oil is supplied through the pipe 1 to the reservoir 2 it fills said reservoir until the float 2 rises to a desired level and closes the valve 3, thus cutting off the ingress Yof oil. Vhen it is desired to start the engine, the plunger 8 is depressed by hand and a portion of oil in the channel 'Z is forced through the valve 13 and into the chamber 14.A In starting the engine the flywheel is turned by hand and the downward motion of the piston will suck the contents of the generating-chamber 14 into the combustion-chamber and cylinder. Another halfrevolution of the ily-wheel will carry the pismay be thrown out of action and the engine will continue'to operate with the automatic igniter alone. Inasmuch as the cylinder has but one port'this must serve as both gas and exhaust port, besides which the cylinder has to pump in its Own gas and then compress it before explosionoceurs. Hence the explosion can only take place at every other stroke of the piston and the exhaust apparatus and explosion device must only operate, the former on the return of the piston after an explosion and the latter at the moment of compression of the gas in the explosion-chamber. As the explosion of gas in the igniting-chamber and the explosion-chamber and cylinder occurs the piston will be driven to the extremity of the cylinder, turning the crank 33 and the pinion 35. Before any more gas is admitted for a second explosion the gas in the cylinder must be exhausted. Hence the piston must make two strokes under the impulse of the first explosion, for which reason the motion of the counter-shaft is reduced by the pinion and gears 35 and 36, so that the motion of the rod 40, operated by the eccentric 39, is only one-half as frequent as that of the piston. When theeccentric 39 is turned, it will raise the sleeve 47 and the latch 50, engage the iiange 28 of the collar 28, raise the exhaust-valve 22, and allow the gas contained in the cylinder and combustion-chamber to escape through the exhaust. This gas is hot, and as it escapes it will surround and heat the thimble 23. The next stroke of the piston will draw gas into the combustion-chamber and cylinder. As it does so the pressure in the gasgenerating chamber will be reduced below atmospheric press ure and air will enter through sion will then be repeated bythe action of the' the valve 16 into the chamber 14 and oil will automatically arise through the pipe 12 and be sprayed into the said chamber 14 around the pin l5 and be converted into gas, which will mix with atmospheric air, producing the explosive mixture. The operation of exploelectrical igniter, and the engine will continue explosion and the heat of the exhaust have raised the thimble 23 to a temperature sufficient to ignite the gas Without the aid of the electrical igniter. Then the electrical igniter may be cut out of action. The apparatus Will then be operated automatically by the heat of the'thimble 23 and the battery material will be saved. The heat imparted to the thimble`23 by the exhaust-gas is sufficient to ignite the intlowing gas as soon as it enters the combustion-chamber; but I find that this does not occur, and I have concluded that the failure to so ignite the inliowing explosive gas is due to the fact that only the lower end of the thimble is heated and the interior of the thimble is filled with gas which has already exploded from the last charge. Hence the fresh explosive gas does not come into contact Wit-h the hot part of the thimble until the return of the piston and the compression of the gas in the explosion-chamber, when the gas already in the thimble will also be compressed and the explosive gas forced down in the thimble to the point at which it is heated inside. I believe that the temperature of the thimble is also somewhat increased by the compression of the gas. As the operation of the engine continues the gas will be admitted to the combustion-chamber with each successive operation of the exhaust-valve 22, exploded, and exhausted. The rapid repetition of these explosions will accelerate the motion of the piston, and consequently of the sleeve 47, carrying the latch 50, and increase the force of impact of the'latch against the collar 28, and until the speed of the latch exceeds the desired limit the force of impact will only throw the latch far enough to permit it to engage the flange 28a; but as soon as this speed exceeds the desired limit the latch will be thrown beyond the flange and the exhaust-valve will not open. The failure of the exhaust-valve to open and to exhaust the contents of the explosion-chamber and cylinder will maintain the pressure within said chamber and cylinder and fresh gas will not enter through the valve 20. The load upon the engine, in addition to the resistance of the gas imprisoned within the cylinder, will reduce the speed of the piston and bring the sleeve 47 back to its normal speed and the latch 50 into position, where it will engage the flange 28aL and open the exhaust-valve 2,2, when the operation of admission and ,explosion will be repeated.

The 'incandescent igniter and the sparlrer described in this application are not claimed herein, because they have been made the sub-Y ject of two other applications which are pending concurrently with this one.

The incandescent igniter application wasl sition and means for reciprocating the latchin the path of the tappet, so that the beveled end of the latch will strike the shoulder of the tappet and at normal speed also the flange or lug `and operate 4the valve, but at excessive speed the impact of the latch upon the shoulder will throw it beyond the flange or lug and the valve will not be operated, substantially as described. g

2. In a gas-engine the combination, of the exhaust-valve of such an engine, with a latch and means for reciprocating the latch to open the exhaustvalve at desired periods, the latch being pivoted and adapted to swing under the force of impact into engagement with the valve mechanism and swinging out of engagement withthe valve mechanism when the speed of the engine passes the desired limit. p

Signed at Baltimore city, State of Maryland, this 24th day of November, A. D. 1897.

ERNEST W'. GRAEF. Witnesses:

HARRY W.v RoDGERs, CARROLL T. BOND. 

